Faith & Finances

1Why should I raise support?

Building a support network of partners is a very important part of your cross cultural team experience. Most people think of support only as financial donations and become uncomfortable with the idea or think it is not necessary for them to raise support. While financial support is necessary and wonderful, it is helpful to expand your concept of support to the areas of spiritual and emotional support as well as financial. It is also helpful to realize that there are many people in one’s life who want to be supportive in all the areas mentioned. They want to be a part of something special in your life. Also, most people want to do something special and being involved with you gives them a sense of doing that.

Building this kind of support network also creates many new opportunities for you to communicate your experience with your partners. So we strongly encourage everyone who participates on a GO Team to consider building a support network by crafting and sending a concise, informative letter to family members, friends and associates of all kinds. Your letter should contain all the information about your team and trip as well as all the opportunities for partnering including prayer, finances and moral support.

The Apostle Paul gladly asked for assistance. He understood the importance of partnership, particularly prayer partnership. In his letter to the Romans, he appealed to them that they might offer prayers with him on his behalf and the behalf of the gospel. Like Paul we need partners in the ministry, whether through prayer, emotional support or through financial contributions.

2How do I build a support team?

Pray and thank God for this opportunity and for helping you build a team that will allow you to seize this opportunity.

Pray and ask God to give you names of people He wants to be involved in helping you.

"Namestorm" as many names as God brings to your mind of people in your life whom you could send a letter telling about how God is leading you to be a part of the team. Write down those names no matter how you think those people might respond or what they might think. Very Important! Your letter may be the catalyst for something God is doing in their life. Begin collecting the addresses or emails of the people God put on your list.

Pray and ask God to inspire you as you write a letter with details of how you made this decision, details of the trip such as the location, purpose, cost, etc.

Ask for people to partner with you in this decision by praying, encouraging and donating to your expenses. "Partner" is a key word because it leads people from just giving a donation to actually giving their attention and support.

Pray over the letters and send them out.

Keep a record of those who respond and plan on keeping them updated after you return from your trip by sending a report with pictures. They will feel included and love it and want to partner again sometime and maybe even go sometime.

Make sure to talk about what you will be doing, include the website for Horizon, which is horizonorphans.com. Have checks made out to Horizon International, including your name and trip number in the memo line, and let people know their donations are tax deductible.

Any support letter sent out must include the following statement, "This contribution is made with the understanding that Horizon has complete control over the use of these donated funds in compliance with Internal Revenue Service requirements."

The statement can be placed at the bottom of the page.

4What are some example fundraisers?

Garage Sales - People clean and donate items all the time. Why not ask them to donate them to you? Collect donated items from friends and family and then host a garage sale.

Sell Food - Bake anything from cookies, to pies, to cakes especially around the holiday times. Create a whole meal for people for Valentine's Day dinners. Bake appetizers for Super Bowl Parties. Anything that makes it convenient for people should sell easily.

Sell carwash coupons - Many local carwash companies will offer coupons for you to sell customers and they will give you a portion of the profits.

Host a dinner - Find a church or venue that will allow you and maybe some of your team to invite friends to purchase tickets to a dinner. Once dinner is served you can share details of the work you will be doing on your trip and further inviting people to partner with you on this journey!

A check must be made out from the donor directly to Horizon International. If a check is made out to the GO Team member, then he/she endorses the check over to Horizon, the gift will not be tax deductible by the giver.

The donor must not have received any goods or services in exchange for their contribution.

Any fundraising letters must include the following statement per IRS guidelines:"This contribution is made with the understanding that Horizon has complete control over the use of these donated funds in compliance with Internal Revenue Service requirements."